The boom of Dead money in college sports
Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson famously warned mammas to not let their babies grow up to be cowboys. The country music stars might have encouraged them to be fired college coaches instead.
According to an ESPN analysis of financial records of athletics departments at public universities, FBS programs spent more than $533.6 million in dead money in an 11-year period from Jan. 1, 2010, to Jan. 31, 2021. That's money those programs owed coaches in football and men's and women's basketball who were fired without cause with time left on their contracts. The severance payments were made over several years or, in a few cases, in one lump sum.
Remarkably, the dead money total is actually much more than that. The financial records did not include payments for many of the coaches who were fired during or after the 2020 football and 2020-21 basketball seasons. In football alone, FBS schools committed another $107.6 million in severance pay before mitigation to fired coaches and their staffs in 2020.
116
Coaches who received more than $1 million
$1.4M
Nebraska paid the most dead money in women's hoops
$5.4M
Dead money payouts to strength & conditioning coaches
$471M
Total Power 5 dead money found
- Paula Lavigne/Mark Schlabach: Inside the dead money numbers
- ESPN staff: Catch up on the 2021 college football coaching carousel
- Jeff Borzello: Preseason men's college basketball coaching hot seat
TOTALS BY CONFERENCE, SPORT
It does mean more in the SEC, so it's not all that surprising that SEC teams paid more ($123.2M) to dismissed football coaches than the Big Ten ($67.7M) and Big 12 ($50.0M) combined. Overall, football coaches were paid over three times as much as men's hoops coaches. Note: The numbers in the graphic below represent millions of dollars.
NCAAF
NCAAM
NCAAW
2.4
SEC
123.2
25.3
151
PAC-12
85.3
24.9
3.9
114.1
BIG TEN
67.7
34
5.1
106.8
2.6
NON-P5
47.4
12.8
62.8
BIG 12
50
8
58.8
0.8
ACC
28.7
11.2
40.1
0.2
TOTAL
($M)
402.3
116.3
15.1
NCAAF
NCAAM
NCAAW
SEC
123.2
25.3
151
2.4
PAC-12
114.1
24.9
85.3
3.9
67.7
BIG TEN
34.1
106.8
5.1
NON-P5
62.8
47.4
2.6
12.8
BIG 12
58.8
50
0.8
8
ACC
28.7
40.1
0.2
11.2
TOTAL
($M)
402.3
116.3
15.1
NCAAF
NCAAM
NCAAW
SEC
123.2
25.3
151
2.4
PAC-12
114.1
24.9
85.3
3.9
67.7
BIG TEN
34.1
106.8
5.1
NON-P5
12.8
62.8
47.4
2.6
BIG 12
8
58.8
50
0.8
ACC
11.2
28.7
40.1
0.2
TOTAL
($M)
402.3
116.3
15.1
Top 10 Schools
Chasing glory and championships is expensive in college sports. Just ask the biggest spenders in the FBS, who have combined to dole out more than $205 million in dead money since 2010. If your last mistake is indeed your best teacher, then these schools have failed time and time again.
Auburn
$31.2M
Talk about being all-in. More than $18 million (and counting) has
been paid to Gene Chizik and Gus Malzahn.
Nebraska
$25.8M
Bo Pelini and Mike Riley were fired within a year of extensions.
The cost for those mistakes: about $12.8 million.
Texas
$21.5M
Everything is bigger in Texas, including buyouts. The total
doesn't even include $24 million owed to Tom Herman and staff.
Ole Miss
$20.4M
The Rebels spent $8.7 million to move on from football coaches Houston Nutt and Matt Luke;
letting Hugh Freeze go didn't cost a penny.
Kansas
$20M
The Jayhawks keep trying and paying. Firing Turner Gill, Charlie
Weis and David Beaty cost over $14.4 million.
Arizona State
$18.7M
The Sun Devils forked over more than $11 million to football coach Todd Graham and more than $2.5 million to basketball coach Herb Sendek.
South Carolina
$18.6M
The Gamecocks more than doubled Florida's contribution to
Will Muschamp's retirement fund with a $12.9 million buyout.
Oregon
$16.5M
Thank goodness for Nike. Showing Mike Bellotti and Mark Helfrich
the door cost the Ducks more than $12 million.
Texas A&M
$16.4M
The Aggies paid just over $9 million to football coaches Kevin
Sumlin, Mike Sherman and Dennis Franchione, plus $2.9 million to men's hoops coach Billy
Kennedy.
UCLA
$15.5M
Football coach Jim Mora and men's basketball coaches Ben Howland
and Steve Alford collected $15.5 million, yet not a single dollar went to assistants.
Top 10 Recipients
Nothing speaks to how important winning in football and men's basketball is to a program more than how much schools are willing to pay coaches to go away. These coaches all had high levels of success in their careers before things went south, leading to collective buyouts in excess of $100 million.
Will Muschamp
$19.2M
Muschamp's $12.9 million from South Carolina alone would have
topped this list, but he earlier received $6.3 million to stop coaching Florida.
Charlie Strong
$11.8M
After three losing seasons in Austin, Strong received $10.1
million to exit Texas. He collected another $1.7 million after three years at South Florida.
Todd Graham
$11.1M
Graham had immediate success at Arizona State, leading the Sun
Devils to three straight bowls and a pair of 10-win seasons, before mediocrity settled in.
Kevin Sumlin
$10.8M
Sumlin collected $7 million from Texas A&M and $3.8 million
from Arizona. He failed to record a winning conference record at either school from 2013 to
2020.
Gus Malzahn
$10.7M
The Tigers dumped Malzahn in only his third season of a
seven-year, $49 million contract he signed after the 2017 season, 75% of which was guaranteed.
Bo Pelini
$10.5M
After receiving $6.5 million upon his dismissal from Nebraska in 2014,
Pelini picked up an additional $4 million after one season as LSU's defensive coordinator in
2020.
Mark Helfrich
$9.5M
Oregon's trip to the national championship game in 2014
didn't buy Helfrich much time: He was fired in 2016 while still owed over $9 million.
Rich Rodriguez
$9.3M
Rodriguez checks in with payments from three schools: $6.3
million from Arizona, $2.5 million from Michigan and $521,514 from coordinator role at
Ole Miss.
Jim Mora
$9.2M
After going 29-11 in Mora's first three seasons, UCLA went
just 17-19 in his final three. At the time, he was California's highest-paid state employee.
Thad Matta
$9.0M
Matta picked up a $9 million buyout from Ohio State in 2017.
He's the only basketball coach to crack the top 10.
COLLEGE DEAD MONEY RANKINGS
ESPN requested the amount each public FBS university paid to coaches in men's basketball, women's basketball and football in severance pay from Jan. 1, 2010, to Jan. 1, 2021, including head coaches, assistant coaches, and strength and conditioning coaches.
Total money spent from 2010 through January 2021
School
$1M+
Akron
Akron
Other
2
0
$889K
889K
Terry Bowden: $639K
Bowden was fired with two years remaining on his
contract after a 4-8 2018 season. The Zips went 35-52 during his
seven-year tenure.
$889K
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$250K
Rob Ianello
Football head coach
Additional payments: None
Alabama
Alabama
SEC
5
3
$8.1M
8.1M
Avery Johnson: $5.5 million
The former NBA coach went 75-62 and made one NCAA
tournament appearance in four seasons at Alabama. He was owed roughly $8
million but settled for less.
$1.0M
Total dead money payments for football
$7.0M
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$75K
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.1M
Mark Gottfried
Basketball (M) head coach
$1.0M
Mike Shula
Football head coach
$349K
Anthony Grant
Basketball (M) head coach
$75K
Stephany Smith
Basketball (W) head coach
Additional payments: None
Arizona
Arizona
Pac-12
3
3
$11.4M
11.4M
Rich Rodriguez: $6.3 million
Rodriguez was fired in January 2018 after six
seasons in Tucson (2012-17). He compiled a 43-35 record with the
Wildcats, losing at least four games each season.
$11.4
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$3.8M
Kevin Sumlin
Football head coach
$1.4M
Mike Stoops
Football head coach
Additional payments: None
Arizona State
Arizona State
Pac-12
15
3
$18.7M
18.7M
Todd Graham: $11.1 million
Graham, who went 46-32 at ASU, was fired during the
2017 season. After consecutive 10-win seasons early in his tenure,
Graham's final three Sun Devils teams lost at least six games.
$15.2M
Total dead money payments for football
$3.46M
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$2.7M
Herb Sendek
Basketball (M) head coach
$1.1M
Keith Patterson
Football assistant coach
$867K
Charlie Fisher
Football assistant coach
$772K
Brian Merritt
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$753K
Dennis Erickson
Football head coach
$581K
Robert Likens
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $899K to 8 recipients
Arkansas
Arkansas
SEC
23
2
$6.0M
6.0M
Chad Morris: $2.1 million
In less than two seasons, Morris' teams went 4-18
and were winless in 14 SEC games. Arkansas is paying him 70% of his
remaining deal for four years after his 2019 firing.
$5.3M
Total dead money payments for football
$165K
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$536K
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.2M
John Chavis
Football assistant coach
$706K
Dan Enos
Football assistant coach
$458K
Jimmy Dykes
Basketball (W) head coach
$185K
Kurt Anderson
Football assistant coach
$177K
Kenny Ingram
Football assistant coach
$158K
Michael Smith
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $973K to 16 recipients
Auburn
Auburn
SEC
20
7
$31.2M
31.2M
Gus Malzahn: $10.7 million
Malzahn went 68-34 with the Tigers, reaching the BCS
National Championship in his first season. He was owed $21.7 million,
with 50% due in the first 30 days, when he was fired in 2020.
$26.6M
Total dead money payments for football
$4.7M
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$7.7M
Gene Chizik
Football head coach
$2.7
Tony Barbee
Basketball (M) head coach
$2.2M
Ellis Johnson
Football assistant coach
$1.7M
Jeff Lebo
Basketball (M) head coach
$1.2M
Chip Lindsey
Football assistant coach
$1.1M
Charlie Harbison
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $3.8 million to 13 recipients
Ball State
Ball State
Other
12
0
$312K
312K
David Elson: $51.3K
Elson's three-year tenure as the Cardinals'
defensive coordinator ended in 2019 after the team's 5-7 campaign.
$222K
Total dead money payments for football
$62.9K
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$27.3K
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$40K
Kevin Kelly
Football assistant coach
$30.2K
Justin Lustig
Football assistant coach
$28.1K
John Stollo
Football assistant coach
$26.4K
Robert Simmons
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$24.6K
Gregory Morrison
Football assistant coach
$23.7K
Terry Lantz
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $87.4K to 5 recipients
California
California
Pac-12
22
3
$11.6M
11.6M
Jeff Tedford: $5.4 million
Going 82-57 over 11 seasons, Tedford coached some of
the best teams in Cal history. He was fired in 2012 after the Bears lost
at least six games in each of his last three seasons.
$9.8M
Total dead money payments for football
$1.8M
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$9K
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$2.7M
Sonny Dykes
Football head coach
$1.7M
Wyking Jones
Basketball (M) head coach
$778K
Andrew Buh
Football assistant coach
$365K
Art Kaufman
Football assistant coach
$144K
Wes Chandler
Football assistant coach
$90K
Kenwick Thompson
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $442K to 15 recipients
Central Michigan
Central Michigan
Other
1
0
$834K
834K
John Bonamego: $834K
Bonamego led the Chippewas to bowl games in his
first three seasons but was fired after a 1-11 2018 season. CMU went
22-29 during his four-year tenure.
$834K
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
Other
3
1
$1.9M
1.9M
Tommy Tuberville: $1.5 million
Tuberville stepped down in 2016 after a 4-8 season
and eight months after signing a two-year extension. The Bearcats went
29-22 during his four-year tenure.
$1.8M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$63K
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$271K
Robert Prunty
Football assistant coach
$63K
Jamelle Elliott
Basketball (W) head coach
Additional payments: None
Clemson
Clemson
ACC
2
0
$1.1M
1.1M
Kevin Steele: $936K
Steele, whose three-year run as Clemson's DC ended
in 2012, is scheduled to rake in as much, about $861,000, for two months
of work at Tennessee in 2021 -- without ever coaching a game.
$936K
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$195K
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$195K
Audra Smith
Basketball (W) head coach
Additional payments: None
Colorado
Colorado
Pac-12
34
3
$15.2M
15.2M
Mike MacIntyre: $7.2 million
Honored with multiple national coach of the year
awards in 2016, MacIntyre was fired just two years later. The Buffaloes
went 30-44 during his six-year tenure in Boulder.
$13.9M
Total dead money payments for football
$10K
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$1.3M
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$2.1M
Dan Hawkins
Football head coach
$1.6M
Jon Embree
Football head coach
$925K
Linda Lappe
Basketball (W) head coach
$781K
Eric Bieniemy
Football assistant coach
$521K
Klayton Adams
Football assistant coach
$300K
Kathy McConnell-Miller
Basketball (W) head coach
Additional payments: $1.7 million to 27 recipients
East Carolina
East Carolina
Other
1
0
$6.2K
6.2K
Michael Yartin: $6.2K
Yartin worked as an assistant strength and
conditioning coach for the Pirates from 2007 to 2011.
$6.2K
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Other
20
0
$368K
368K
AnnMarie Gilbert: $118K
Gilbert resigned after the 2012 season. The Eagles
women's basketball program went 94-64 during her five-year tenure.
$171K
Total dead money for football
$34.6K
Total dead money for men's basketball
$162K
Total dead money for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$24.1K
Bradley McCaslin
Football assistant coach
$20.6K
Stan Parrish
Football assistant coach
$17K
Ken Delgado
Football assistant coach
$16.7K
Mark Criner
Football assistant coach
$16.1K
Mike Brown
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$15.2K
Herb Haygood
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $140K to 13 recipients
Florida
Florida
SEC
12
1
$8.2M
8.2M
Will Muschamp: $6.3 million
The Gators can look on the bright side -- South
Carolina paid Muschamp twice as much ($12.9 million) in a lump sum when
the Gamecocks parted ways with him in 2020.
$7.8M
Total dead money payments from football
$333K
Total dead money payments from men's basketball
$69.7K
Total dead money payments from women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$834K
Kurt Roper
Football assistant coach
$330K
John Pelphrey
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$291K
D.J. Durkin
Football assistant coach
$93.2K
Chris Leak
Football assistant coach
$70.7K
Derek Lewis
Football assistant coach
$60.7K
Brian White
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $168K to 5 recipients
Florida Atlantic
Florida Atlantic
Other
4
0
$385K
385K
Charlie Partridge: $211K
Partridge was fired in 2016 after three straight 3-9
seasons leading the Owls. FAU lost seven straight games at one point
during 2016.
$385K
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$0
Total dead money for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$133K
Anthony Pecoraro
Football assistant coach
$34.5K
Nathan Trickett
Football assistant coach
$6.6K
Nathan York
Football strength coach
Additional payments: None
Florida International
Florida International
Other
1
0
$3.7K
3.7K
James Vollono: $3.7K
Vollono was replaced as FIU's special teams coach
after the 2019 season. He spent three years with the Panthers.
$3.7K
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Florida State
Florida State
ACC
13
1
$7.7M
7.7M
Willie Taggart: $4.1 million
Upon Taggart's hiring, FSU paid his $3 million
buyout to Oregon and $1.3 million the Ducks owed South Florida after
hiring him. He went 9-12 at FSU before his 2019 firing.
$7.7M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$650K
Rick Trickett
Football assistant coach
$593K
Charles Kelly
Football assistant coach
$587K
Harlon Barnett
Football assistant coach
$520K
Lawrence Dawsey
Football assistant coach
$468K
Bradley Lawing
Football assistant coach
$283K
Bill Miller
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $462K to 6 recipients
Fresno State
Fresno State
Other
1
1
$2.5M
2.5M
Tim DeRuyter: $2.5 million
DeRuyter was fired after a 1-7 start to the 2016
season. He guided the Bulldogs to a 30-30 record over his four-plus
seasons in charge of the football program.
$2.5M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's basketball
Georgia
Georgia
SEC
17
3
$9.6M
9.6M
Mark Richt: $4.1 million
Richt ranks second at Georgia in career wins
(145) and guided teams to bowl games in each of his 15 seasons. Richt
won two SEC titles before his his run in Athens ended in 2015.
$7.4M
Total dead money payments for football
$2.2M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$62.5K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.2M
Brian Schottenheimer
Football assistant coach
$1.2M
Mark Fox
Basketball (M) head coach
$677K
Dennis Felton
Basketball (M) head coach
$533K
James Coley
Football assistant coach
$489K
Tracy Rocker
Football assistant coach
$384K
Jeremy Pruitt
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $1.0 million to 10 recipients
Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech
ACC
25
3
$10.9M
10.9M
Paul Hewitt: $6.1 million
After a Final Four run in 2004, Georgia Tech
gave Hewitt an automatic roll-over contract, meaning his deal always
had six years remaining. He was fired in 2011 after four losing
seasons in his last six years.
$3.3M
Total dead money payments for football
$7.6M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$20K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.4M
Ted Roof
Football assistant coach
$1.3M
Brian Gregory
Basketball (M) head coach
$640K
Nathan Woody
Football assistant coach
$333K
Paul Johnson
Football head coach
$141K
Michael Pelton
Football assistant coach
$133K
Ronald West
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $767K to 18 recipients
Illinois
Illinois
Big Ten
20
3
$12.3M
12.3M
Bruce Weber: $4.4 million
Weber's 2004-05 team went 37-2, tying the
then-NCAA record for most wins in a season. He was fired in 2012
after a 55-66 Big Ten record over his last six seasons.
$5.3M
Total dead money payments to football
$5.8M
Total dead money payments to men's
basketball
$1.2M
Total dead money payments to women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$2.9M
Ron Zook
Football head coach
$1.0M
Bill Cubit
Football head coach
$966K
John Groce
Basketball (M) head coach
$760K
Jolette Law
Basketball (W) head coach
$403K
Garrick McGee
Football assistant coach
$376K
Ryan Cubit
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $1.4M to 13 recipients
Indiana
Indiana
Big Ten
30
1
$5.1M
5.1M
Tom Crean: $1.3 million
After taking over the IU hoops program in 2008,
Crean led the Hoosiers to a 166-135 record over nine seasons. They parted ways in 2017 after IU missed the NCAA tourney for the second time in four seasons.
$2.4M
Total dead money payments for football
$1.9M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$882K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$542K
Kevin Wilson
Football head coach
$494K
Felisha Legette-Jack
Basketball (W) head coach
$450K
Brian Knorr
Football assistant coach
$293K
Ed Schilling
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$263K
Lawrence McDaniel
Football assistant coach
$169K
Curt Miller
Basketball (W) head coach
Additional payments: $1.7 million to 23 recipients
Iowa
Iowa
Big Ten
4
2
$4.0M
4.0M
Todd Lickliter: $2.6 million
Lickliter never found the success he enjoyed at
Butler and was fired as Iowa's hoops coach in 2010 with four years
left on a seven-year deal. He had a 38-58 record with the Hawkeyes.
$1.4M
Total dead money payments for football
$2.6M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.1M
Chris Doyle
Football strength coach
$160K
Robert Kennedy
Football assistant coach
$148K
Chris White
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: None
Iowa State
Iowa State
Big 12
1
1
$4.8M
4.8M
Paul Rhoads: $4.8 million
Rhoads lasted seven years in Ames despite never
winning more than three conference games in a season. He was fired
in 2015 during a 3-9 campaign. The Cyclones went 32-55 under Rhoads.
$4.8M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Kansas
Kansas
Big 12
42
3
$20.0M
20.0M
Turner Gill: $6.4 million
In just two seasons at Kansas (2010-2011), Gil
won only one Big 12 game and went 5-19 overall.
$19.5M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$470K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$5.4M
Charlie Weis
Football head coach
$2.7M
David Beaty
Football head coach
$519K
Doug Mecham
Football assistant coach
$427K
Les Koenning
Football assistant coach
$392K
Bill Miller
Football assistant coach
$389K
Bonnie Henrickson
Basketball (W) head coach
Additional payments: $3.8 million to 35 recipients
Kansas State
Kansas State
Big 12
5
0
$806K
806K
Jon Fabris: $300K
Fabris returned for his second stint at Kansas
State in 2017 to coach defensive ends. He was out after two seasons
when Chris Klieman took over as head coach following Bill Snyder's
resignation.
$806K
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$177K
Brian Norwood
Football assistant coach
$148K
Andre Coleman
Football assistant coach
$107K
Mo Latimore
Football assistant coach
$74.2K
Charles Dickey
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: None
Kentucky
Kentucky
SEC
25
2
$8.5M
8.5M
Joker Phillips: $2.8 million
Phillips went 12-23 overall, and his tenure ended
in 2012 with an eight-game losing streak and 40-0 loss to
Vanderbilt, UK's worst loss to the Commodores in 96 years.
$8.4M
Total dead money payments for football
$16.7K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$108K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.5M
Shannon Dawson
Football assistant coach
$414K
Greg Nord
Football assistant coach
$376K
Tommy Mainord
Football assistant coach
$345K
Chuck Smith
Football assistant coach
$308K
Steven Pardue
Football assistant coach
$296K
Steve Ortmayer
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $2.4 million to 18 recipients
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech
Other
2
0
$536K
536K
Teresa Weatherspoon: $436K
Weatherspoon's tenure at her alma mater ended
after the Lady Techsters went 12-20 in 2013-14. She went 99-71 in
six years leading the women's basketball program.
$0
Total dead money payments for football
$100K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$436K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$100K
Kerry Rupp
Basketball (M) head coach
Additional payments: None
Louisiana
Louisiana
Other
50
0
$1.1M
1.1M
Mark Hudspeth: $528K
Hudspeth officially went 29-38 in seven seasons
(22 victories were forfeited) coaching the Ragin' Cajuns. He was
fired in 2017 after a 5-7 campaign.
$944K
Total dead money payments for football
$96.3K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
57.2K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$51.9K
Ronald Roberts
Football assistant coach
$32.5K
Rickey Bustle
Football head coach
$27.9K
David Looney
Football assistant coach
$26.7K
Matt Powledge
Football assistant coach
$21.8K
Stephen Stringer
Football assistant coach
$21.2K
Robert Lee
Basketball (M) head coach
Additional payments: $387K to 43 recipients
Louisville
Louisville
ACC
25
1
$8.4M
8.4M
Bobby Petrino: $5.0 million
When Louisville AD Vince Tyra fired Petrino in
2018, he vowed to never fully guarantee a contract for another head
coach. Petrino went 36-26 in his second tenure with the Cardinals.
$8.0M
Total dead money payments for football
$324K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$612K
Steve Kragthorpe
Football head coach
$468K
Brian VanGorder
Football assistant coach
$380K
Michael Summers
Football assistant coach
$239K
Lorenzo Ward
Football assistant coach
$227K
David Padgett
Basketball assistant coach
$188K
Alonzo Galloway
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $1.2 million to 18 recipients
LSU
LSU
SEC
15
4
$14.8M
14.8M
Les Miles: $4.5 million
Miles had a 114-34 record and a BCS title in
11-plus seasons coaching the Tigers. He was fired four games into
the 2016 season after going 19-10 in his last three-plus years at
LSU.
$13.7M
Total dead money payments to football
$1.1M
Total dead money payments to men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments to women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$4.0M
Bo Pelini
Football assistant coach
$2.1M
Cam Cameron
Football assistant coach
$1.7M
Matt Canada
Football assistant coach
$778K
Johnny Jones
Basketball (M) head coach
$500K
Steve Ensminger
Football assistant coach
$484K
Dameyune Craig
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $768K to 8 recipients
Marshall
Marshall
Other
11
0
$1.8M
1.8M
Tom Herrion: $741K
Herrion had two years left on his contract when
he and the Thundering Herd split ways in March 2014 after an 11-22 season. Herrion finished
his four-year tenure with a 67-67
record.
$1.1M
Total dead money payments for football
$741K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$601K
Mark Snyder
Football head coach
$110K
John Shannon
Football assistant coach
$108K
Rick Minter
Football assistant coach
$64K
Bob Fello
Football assistant coach
$72K
Bill Legg
Football assistant coach
$41K
Chris Rippon
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $91K to 4 recipients
Maryland
Maryland
Big Ten
11
4
$13.0M
13.0M
DJ Durkin: $5.4 million
Durkin was fired in October 2018 after
investigations into the death of 19-year-old offensive lineman
Jordan McNair from a heatstroke he suffered at a workout.
$13.0M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$2.6M
Randy Edsall
Football head coach
$2.2M
Ralph Friedgen
Football head coach
$1.2M
Matt Canada
Football assistant coach
$583K
Chuck Heater
Football assistant coach
$315K
Rick Court
Football strength coach
$218K
Bryan Stinespring
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $407K to 4 recipients
Memphis
Memphis
Other
16
2
$4.6M
4.6M
Tubby Smith: $2.4 million
Smith's brief two-year run leading the Tigers
ended after a 21-13 season in 2018. He went 40-26 at Memphis, but he
did not get the Tigers to the NCAA tournament.
$2.3M
Total dead money payments for football
$2.4M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.5M
Tommy West
Football head coach
$233K
Kevin Clune
Football assistant coach
$125K
Larry Porter
Football head coach
$112K
Tim Edwards
Football assistant coach
$74K
James Hopson
Football assistant coach
$59K
Tim Billings
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $197K to 8 recipients
Miami (Ohio)
Miami (Ohio)
Other
4
0
$492K
492K
Donald Treadwell: $207K
Treadwell was fired after an 0-5 start to the
2013 season. His 29-game tenure leading his alma mater's football
program ended with an 8-21 record.
$207K
Total dead money payments for football
$172
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$285K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$165K
Maria Fantanarosa
Basketball (W) head coach
$120K
Cleve Wright
Basketball (W) head coach
$172
John Cooper
Basketball (M) head coach
Additional payments: None
Michigan
Michigan
Big Ten
8
1
$4.0M
4.0M
Rich Rodriguez: $2.5 million
Rodriguez's tenure at Michigan included an 11-11
record at the Big House, 1-11 against ranked teams and 0-6 combined
against rivals Ohio State and Michigan State.
$4.0M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$636K
Alan Borges
Football assistant coach
$496K
Mike Barwis
Football strength coach
$250K
Tim Drevno
Football assistant coach
$27.4K
Don Brown
Football assistant coach
$17.0K
Mark Naylor
Football strength coach
$17.0K
Corey Twine
Football strength coach
Additional payments: $13.6K to 1 recipient
Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
Other
4
0
$224K
224K
Tyrone Nix: $148K
Nix's five-year run as defensive coordinator
ended after the Blue Raiders' 8-5 2016 season. Middle Tennessee gave
up at least 31 points in each of its last eight games that season.
$224K
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$40K
Kezarrick McCorvey
Football assistant coach
$28K
Willie Simmons
Football assistant coach
$8.1K
John Palermo
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: None
Minnesota
Minnesota
Big Ten
21
3
$9.3M
9.3M
Tubby Smith: $2.9 million
After leading Kentucky to a national title in
1998, Smith walked away from perhaps college basketball's biggest
job to coach the Gophers in 2007. He went 124-81 in six seasons at
Minnesota.
$4.5M
Total dead money payments for football
$4.2M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$601K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.1M
Robb Smith
Football assistant coach
$1.1M
Jerry Kill
Football head coach
$637K
Jay Johnson
Football assistant coach
$637K
Jay Sawvel
Football assistant coach
$489K
Pam Borton
Basketball (W) head coach
$324K
Tracy Claeys
Football head coach
Additional payments: $2.1 million to 14 recipients
Mississippi State
Mississippi State
SEC
6
0
$1.6M
1.6M
Bob Shoop: $475K
In Shoop's first season as defensive coordinator
in 2018, the Bulldogs led the FBS in total defense. But Joe Moorhead
and his staff were fired after a 6-7 record in 2019.
$1.5M
Total dead money payments for football
$20.8K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$400K
Michael Johnson
Football assistant coach
$350K
Terry Richardson
Football assistant coach
$262K
Andrew Breiner
Football assistant coach
$46K
Cory Bichey
Football strength coach
$21K
Rick Ray
Basketball (M) head coach
Additional payments: None
Missouri
Missouri
SEC
11
0
$3.7M
3.7M
Josh Henson: $642K
Henson was hired as offensive line coach and
later promoted to offensive coordinator, helping the Tigers win SEC
East titles in 2013-14.
$3.3M
Total dead money payments for football
$450K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$534K
Derek Dooley
Football assistant coach
$529K
DeMontie Cross
Football assistant coach
$450K
Kim Anderson
Basketball (M) head coach
$397K
Cornell Ford
Football assistant coach
$303K
Garrick McGee
Football assistant coach
$298K
Vernon Hargreaves
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $579K to 4 recipients
NC State
NC State
ACC
16
0
$4.9M
4.9M
Mark Gottfried: $950K
The basketball coach sued NC State for the rest
of his buyout, and the sides reached a $400,000 settlement through
mediation in August. He was fired in 2017 after two straight losing
seasons.
$2.7M
Total dead money payments for football
$2.1M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$22.6K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$664K
David Huxtable
Football assistant coach
$522K
Heath Schroyer
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$465K
Matt Canada
Football assistant coach
$382K
Butch Pierre
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$356K
Dana Bible
Football assistant coach
$328
George Barlow
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $1.2 million to 9 recipients
Nebraska
Nebraska
Big Ten
31
5
$25.8M
25.8M
Bo Pelini: $6.5 million
Nebraska fired Pelini in November 2014, less
than a year after giving him an extension. The Cornhuskers paid him
$128,000 every month for more than four years.
$19.0M
Total dead money payments for football
$5.4M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$1.4M
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$6.3M
Mike Riley
Football head coach
$2.8M
Doc Sadler
Basketball (M) head coach
$2.6M
Tim Miles
Basketball (M) head coach
$1.1M
Connie Yori
Basketball (W) head coach
$932K
Bob Diaco
Football head coach
$604K
Danny Langsdorf
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $5.0 million to 24 recipients
Nevada
Nevada
Other
2
0
$1.2M
1.2M
David Carter: $665K
Carter's five-year Nevada tenure started with
two 20-win seasons in his first three years but ended with three
straight losing campaigns. He was fired in 2015 after a 9-22 season.
$525K
Total dead money payments for football
$665K
Total dead money payments for men's college
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$525K
Brian Polian
Football head coach
Additional payments: None
North Texas
North Texas
Other
13
0
$1.9M
1.9M
Dan McCarney: $950K
McCarney was fired after an 0-5 start to the
2015 season. He coached the Mean Green to a 22-32 record in
four-plus seasons in Denton.
$1.25M
Total dead money payments for football
$5.7K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$629K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$393K
Michael Petersen
Basketball (W) head coach
$237K
Shanice Stephens
Basketball (W) head coach
$131K
Todd Dodge
Football head coach
$78K
Chris Cosh
Football assistant coach
$34K
Marc Yellock
Football assistant coach
$24K
Troy Reffett
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $69K to 6 recipients
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois
Other
3
0
$787K
787K
Ricardo Patton: $311K
Patton's four-year tenure at NIU ended in 2011
after a 9-21 season. The Huskies' men's basketball program went
35-83 under Patton.
$0
Total dead money payments for football
$560K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$227K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$249K
Mark Montgomery
Basketball (M) head coach
$227K
Kathi Bennett
Basketball (W) head coach
Additional payments: None
Ohio State
Ohio State
Big Ten
8
1
$10.2M
10.2M
Thad Matta: $9.0 million
Matta went 337-123 in 13 seasons at Ohio State,
winning at least 20 games in every season but one. His tenure in Columbus ended in
2017 after OSU missed two straight NCAA tournaments.
$292K
Total dead money payments for football
$9.6M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$323K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$323K
Jim Foster
Basketball (W) head coach
$300K
Chris Jent
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$185K
Dave Dickerson
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$167K
Ed Warinner
Football assistant coach
$110K
Greg Paulus
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$108K
Taver Johnson
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $16K to 1 recipient
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Big 12
12
1
$3.1M
3.1M
Jeff Capel: $1.6 million
Capel led the Sooners to 30 wins and the Elite
Eight in 2009, but back-to-back losing seasons followed -- and he
was fired after the 2010-11 season. Capel went 96-69 in a five-year
tenure at OU.
$1.3M
Total dead money payments for football
$1.7M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$89K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$383K
Josh Heupel
Football assistant coach
$346K
Mike Stoops
Football assistant coach
$221K
Kerry Cooks
Football assistant coach
$190K
Tim Kish
Football assistant coach
$148K
Bruce Kittle
Football assistant coach
$39K
Chad Thrailkill
Basketball (W) assistant coach
Additional payments: $125K to 5 recipients
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State
Big 12
7
1
$4.8M
4.8M
Travis Ford: $3.9 million
Five NCAA tournament appearances in eight
seasons wasn't enough to save Ford's job after the Cowboys went
12-20 in 2015-16. He left with a 155-111 record at OSU.
$707K
Dead money payments for football
$4.1M
Dead money payments for men's basketball
$0
Dead money payments for women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$377K
Bill Young
Football assistant coach
$179K
Robert Matthews
Football assistant coach
$168K
David Kontaxis
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$128K
Greg Adkins
Football assistant coach
$23K
Jason Ray
Football assistant coach
$8.5K
Steve Middleton
Basketball (M) assistant coach
Additional payments: None
Ole Miss
Ole Miss
SEC
51
6
$20.4M
20.4M
Houston Nutt: $5.7 million
Nutt resigned in November 2011 after the Rebels
lost 12 consecutive SEC games. Ole Miss went 2-10 in his final
season (two wins were later vacated). Nutt's tenure ended with a
24-26 record.
$16.0M
Total dead money payments for football
$3.35M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$969K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$3.1M
Matt Luke
Football head coach
$3.1M
Andy Kennedy
Football head coach
$1.4M
Wesley McGriff
Football assistant coach
$1.3M
Dan Werner
Football assistant coach
$1.1M
Tyrone Nix
Football assistant coach
$633K
Robert Wommack
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $4.7 million to 45 recipients
Old Dominion
Old Dominion
Other
2
0
$467K
467K
Bobby Wilder: $450K
Wilder resigned after a 1-11 season in 2019. He
finished his 13-year tenure with the Monarchs with a 77-56 record.
$450K
Total dead money payments for football
$16.7K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$16.7K
Blaine Taylor
Basketball (M) head coach
Additional payments: None
Oregon
Oregon
Pac-12
11
3
$16.5M
16.5M
Mark Helfrich: $9.5 million
Oregon's disastrous 4-8 season in 2016 led to
Helfrich's firing, but he was 33-8 in his first three seasons and
the Ducks were the national runner-up in 2014.
$16.5M
Total dead money payments football
$0
Total dead money payments men's basketball
$0
Total dead money payments women's basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$3.1M
Mike Bellotti
Football head coach/AD
$2.3M
Jim Leavitt
Football assistant coach
$311K
Tom Osborne
Football assistant coach
$303K
Don Pellum
Football assistant coach
$227K
John Neal
Football assistant coach
$261K
Gary Campbell
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $521K to 4 recipients
Oregon State
Oregon State
Pac-12
13
2
$7.6M
7.6M
Craig Robinson: $3.8 million
In Robinson's six seasons in Corvallis, his teams
were never invited to the NIT, let alone the NCAA tournament, and he was fired
in 2014 after a 16-16 season. The Beavers went 94-105 during his
tenure.
$2.3M
Total dead money payments for football
$4.1M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$1.2M
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.2M
LaVonda Wagner
Basketball (W) head coach
$473K
Kevin Clune
Football assistant coach
$414K
T.J. Woods
Football assistant coach
$347K
Kevin McGiven
Football assistant coach
$345K
Rod Perry
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$310K
John Garrett
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $740K to 6 recipients
Purdue
Purdue
Big Ten
29
1
$6.8M
6.8M
Darrell Hazell: $4.1 million
Hazell was fired in 2016 with a 9-33 record in
three-plus seasons with the Boilermakers. His teams never won more
than three games in a single season.
$6.7M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$28.3K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$600K
Danny Hope
Football head coach
$212K
John Shoop
Football assistant coach
$210K
Greg Hudson
Football assistant coach
$201K
Terry Malone
Football assistant coach
$159K
Nick Holt
Football assistant coach
$138K
Gary Nord
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $1.1 million to 22 recipients
Rutgers
Rutgers
Big Ten
40
4
$15.4M
15.4M
Chris Ash: $2.2 million
Ash's teams went 8-32 in three-plus seasons with
the Scarlet Knights, including 3-26 in Big Ten play with two winless
seasons in conference games. He was fired in 2019.
$10.7M
Total dead money payments for football
$4.6M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$75.8K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$2.0M
Eddie Jordan
Basketball (M) head coach
$1.9M
Mike Rice
Basketball (M) head coach
$1.5M
Kyle Flood
Football head coach
$871K
Robert Fraser
Football assistant coach
$844K
James Panagos
Football assistant coach
$655K
John McMulty
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $5.4 million to 33 recipients
South Alabama
South Alabama
Other
34
0
$1.1M
1.1M
Steve Campbell: $299K
Campbell was fired in 2020 after a 4-7 season.
The Jaguars went 9-26 during his three seasons leading the football
program.
$873K
Total dead money payments for football
$172K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$104K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$176K
Joey Jones
Football head coach
$86K
Rick Pietri
Basketball (W) head coach
$69K
Matthew Graves
Basketball (M) head coach
$40K
Brian Turner
Football assistant coach
$31K
Richard Owens
Football assistant coach
$30K
Bryant Vincent
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $419K to 27 recipients
South Carolina
South Carolina
SEC
13
2
$18.6M
18.6M
Will Muschamp: $12.9 million
Muschamp went 28-30 in four-plus seasons. The
Gamecocks actually saved about $2.1 million when his contract was
restructured in December 2019.
$16.4M
Total dead money payments for football
$2.2M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$2.2M
Darrin Horn
Basketball (M) head coach
$801K
Tavaris Robinson
Football assistant coach
$700K
Dan Werner
Football assistant coach
$665K
Lorenzo Ward
Football assistant coach
$400K
Kurt Roper
Football assistant coach
$310K
Jon Hoke
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $582K to 6 recipients
South Florida
South Florida
Other
33
3
$10.5M
10.5M
Skip Holtz: $2.5 million
Holtz was fired after a 3-9 season in 2012 after
receiving a contract extension five months earlier. He went 16-21
during his three-year tenure with the Bulls.
$9.6M
Total dead money payments for football
$823K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$2.2M
Jim Leavitt
Football head coach
$1.7M
Charlie Strong
Football head coach
$593K
Matt Mattox
Football assistant coach
$500K
Orlando Antigua
Basketball (M) head coach
$411K
Kerwin Bell
Football assistant coach
$321K
Paul Wulff
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $2.3 million to 26 recipients
Southern Miss
Southern Miss
Other
1
1
$2.1M
2.1M
Ellis Johnson: $2.1 million
Johnson was fired after one season with the
Golden Eagles in 2012. He went 0-12 and had three seasons remaining
on his contract.
$2.1M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Tennessee
Tennessee
SEC
26
1
$4.0M
4.0M
Butch Jones: $1.3 million
Jones guided the Vols to nine-win seasons in
2015 and 2016 but was just 2-10 in his last 12 SEC games before
getting fired in 2017.
$3.3M
Total dead money payments for football
$51.7K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$623K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$623K
Holly Warlick
Basketball (W) head coach
$485K
Sal Sunseri
Football assistant coach
$306K
Derek Dooley
Football head coach
$151K
John Jancek
Football assistant coach
$125K
Phillip Fulmer
Football head coach
$99.2K
Bob Shoop
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $897.4K to 19 recipients
Texas
Texas
Big 12
21
6
$21.5M
21.5M
Charlie Strong: $10.1 million
Strong's tenure in Austin was a disaster even before
factoring in the eight-figure buyout. The Longhorns went 16-21 in
three seasons under Strong, who was fired after a 5-7 campaign in
2016.
$19.5M
Total dead money payments for football
$1.75M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$209K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.75M
Rick Barnes
Basketball (M) head coach
$1.7M
Sterlin Gilbert
Football assistant coach
$1.4M
Mack Brown
Football head coach
$1.1M
Todd Orlando
Football assistant coach
$1.1M
Matt Mattox
Football assistant coach
$881K
Vance Bedford
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $3.5 million to 14 recipients
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
SEC
30
3
$16.4M
16.4M
Kevin Sumlin: $7.0 million
In six seasons, Sumlin's teams went 51-26, but
the Aggies didn't have a winning SEC record after his initial 6-2
mark in 2012, going 4-4 four times and 3-5 once.
$12.7M
Total dead money payments for football
$3.7M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$2.9M
Billy Kennedy
Basketball (M) head coach
$1.7M
Mike Sherman
Football head coach
$959K
Dave Christensen
Football assistant coach
$585K
Mark Snyder
Football assistant coach
$518K
John Chavis
Football assistant coach
$507K
David Kennedy
Football strength coach
Additional payments: $2.2 million to 23 recipients
Texas State
Texas State
Other
14
0
$1.3M
1.3M
Everett Withers: $784K
After leading the Bobcats to just seven wins in
three seasons, Withers was fired in 2018 with a 7-28 overall record
in San Marcos.
$1.3M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$135K
Brad Wright
Football head coach
$68.4K
Robert Stitt
Football assistant coach
$48.3K
Chris Woods
Football assistant coach
$32.5K
Zak Kuhr
Football assistant coach
$32.1K
Ron Antoine
Football assistant coach
$29.5K
Brett Elliott
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $165K to 7 recipients
Texas Tech
Texas Tech
Big 12
4
0
$841K
841K
Billy Gillispie: $498K
Gillispie's one-year tenure in Lubbock
included only one Big 12 win during an 8-23 season. He resigned
citing health concerns in September 2012.
$326K
Total dead money payments for football
$498K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$17K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$226K
Matt Wallerstedt
Football assistant coach
$100K
Chad Glasgow
Football assistant coach
$17K
Sheryl Swoopes
Basketball (W) assistant coach
Additional payments: None
UAB
UAB
Other
32
0
$1.9M
1.9M
Mike Davis: $676K
Davis, who led the Blazers to a 122-73 record
over six seasons, was fired with one year left on his contract after
a 15-16 2011-12 campaign.
$902K
Total dead money payments for football.
$1.0M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$478K
Neil Callaway
Football head coach
$156K
Robert Ehsan
Basketball (M) head coach
$76K
Reginald Johnson
Football assistant coach
$61.5K
Kim Helton
Football assistant coach
$41.2K
Turner Battle
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$36.5K
Donnie Marsh
Basketball (M) assistant coach
Additional payments: $391K to 25 recipients
UCLA
UCLA
Pac-12
3
3
$15.5M
15.5M
Jim Mora: $9.2 million
Mora compiled a 46-30 record in six seasons with
the Bruins. After going 29-11 in his first three seasons, UCLA went
just 17-19 in his last three seasons. He was fired in 2017.
$9.2M
Total dead money payments for football
$6.3M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$3.5M
Steve Alford
Basketball (M) head coach
$2.8M
Ben Howland
Basketball (M) head coach
Additional payments: None
UConn
UConn
Other
42
1
$9.1M
9.1M
Bob Diaco: $4.3 million
Diaco coached the Huskies to an 11-26 record
over three seasons. He was fired in December 2016, seven months
after agreeing to a contract extension through 2020.
$7.39M
Total dead money payments for football
$1.65M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$19.5K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$798K
Kevin Ollie
Basketball (M) head coach
$340K
Billy Crocker
Football assistant coach
$256K
Glen Miller
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$229K
Donnie Patterson
Football assistant coach
$228K
Frank Verducci
Football assistant coach
$221K
Ricky Moore
Basketball (M) assistant coach
Additional payments: $2.7 million to 35 recipients
Charlotte
Charlotte
Other
11
0
$2.0M
2.0M
Bobby Lutz: $652K
Lutz, the 49ers' winningest men's
basketball coach (218-158), was fired with four years left on his
contract after a 19-12 season in 2009-10.
$523K
Total dead money payments for football
$1.5M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$425K
Brad Lambert
Football head coach
$389K
Mark Price
Basketball (M) head coach
$320K
Alan Major
Basketball (M) head coach
$48.7K
Jeff Mullen
Football assistant coach
$38.2K
Ryan Odom
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$31.5K
Matt Wallerstedt
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $72.7K to 4 recipients
UNLV
UNLV
Other
27
0
$2.5M
2.5M
David Rice: $508K
After two NCAA tournament appearances to begin
Rice's tenure, the Rebels didn't return under his watch. A 9-7 start
led to his midseason dismissal in 2015-16. UNLV went 98-54 during
Rice's four-plus seasons.
$1.4M
Total dead money payments for football
$857K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$194K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$400K
Bobby Hauck
Football head coach
$329K
Tony Sanchez
Football head coach
$261K
Stacey Augmon
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$166K
Kathy Olivier
Basketball (W) head coach
$66K
Travis Burkett
Football assistant coach
$66K
Alfred Simmons
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $673K to 20 recipients
Utah
Utah
Pac-12
12
1
$3.8M
3.8M
Jim Boylen: $1.2 million
The Utes reached the NCAA tournament in 2009,
but consecutive losing seasons followed. Boylen, who went 69-60 over
four years, was fired in 2011 before Utah's move to the Pac-12.
$1.6M
Total dead money payments for football
$1.6M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$608K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$803K
Aaron Roderick
Football assistant coach
$591K
Dennis Erickson
Football assistant coach
$551K
Anthony Levrets
Basketball (W) head coach
$350K
Ray Giacoletti
Basketball (M) head coach
$213K
Daniel Finn
Football assistant coach
$31.3K
Jeff Smith
Basketball (M) assistant coach
Additional payments: $107K to 5 recipients
Utah State
Utah State
Other
7
0
$156K
156K
Tarvish Felton: $38K
Felton spent 10 seasons as a men's basketball
assistant coach with the Aggies under head coaches Stew Morrill and
Tim Duryea.
$0
Total dead money payments for football
$99.5K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$56.6K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$28.5K
Louis Wilson
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$22.5K
Ben Finkbeiner
Basketball (W) assistant coach
$19.3K
Jesse Parker
Basketball (M) staff
$18.9K
Ashley Gill
Basketball (W) assistant coach
$15.2K
Rod Jensen
Basketball (W) assistant coach
$13.8K
Kyle Taylor
Basketball (M) staff
Additional payments: None
UTEP
UTEP
Other
18
0
$964K
964K
Brent Pease: $130K
UTEP fired the offensive coordinator after an
0-3 start to the 2017 season. Pease was in his second season with
the Miners.
$822K
Total dead money payments for football
$134K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$7.7K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$96.3K
Thomas Mason
Football assistant coach
$91.3K
Sean Kugler
Football assistant coach
$89.2K
Dorn Leftwich
Football assistant coach
$83.8K
Patrick Higgins
Football assistant coach
$55.1K
Cornell Jackson
Football assistant coach
$54.7K
Phillip Johnson
Basketball (M) assistant coach
Additional payments: $363K to 11 recipients
UTSA
UTSA
Other
14
1
$2.3M
2.3M
Frank Wilson: $1.0 million
The Roadrunners fired Wilson after a 4-8 2019
campaign. Wilson went 19-29 in four seasons running the UTSA
football program.
$1.9M
Total dead money payments for football
$250K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$177K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$651K
Larry Coker
Football head coach
$210K
Brooks Thompson
Basketball (M) head coach
$114K
Jeff Kastl
Football assistant coach
$91.2K
Rae Blair
Basketball (W) head coach
$85.4K
Lubomyr Lichonczak
Basketball (W) head coach
$34.1K
Kevin Brown
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $113K to 7 recipients
Virginia
Virginia
ACC
19
3
$7.1M
7.1M
Mike London: $2.1 million
London, who won an FCS national title at
Richmond, endured losing records in five of six seasons leading the
Cavaliers' football program and never beat rival Virginia Tech.
$6.0M
Total dead money payments for football
$1.1M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.8M
Al Groh
Football head coach
$1.1M
Dave Leitao
Basketball (M) head coach
$806K
Jon Tenuta
Football assistant coach
$272K
Gregg Brandon
Football assistant coach
$186K
Anthony Poindexter
Football assistant coach
$184K
Marques Hagans
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $602K to 12 recipients
Washington
Washington
Pac-12
22
1
$6.0M
6.0M
Lorenzo Romar: $2.9 million
Romar's 15-year run in Seattle featured six NCAA
tournament berths but none over his final five seasons. He was fired
in 2017 after the Huskies went 9-22.
$2.7M
Total dead money payments for football
$2.9M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$325K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$747K
Nick Holt
Football assistant coach
$522K
Bush Hamdan
Football assistant coach
$413K
Eric Kiesau
Football assistant coach
$300K
Tosh Lupoi
Football assistant coach
$253K
Mike Cox
Football assistant coach
$205K
Tia Jackson
Basketball (W) head coach
Additional payments: $687K to 15 recipients
Washington State
Washington State
Pac-12
38
2
$7.7M
7.7M
Ernie Kent: $2.6 million
The Cougars were 58-98 in Kent's five seasons in
Pullman and were 22-68 in Pac-12 play. He was fired in 2019 after
Washington State went 11-21.
$2.5
Total dead money payments for football
$4.7M
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$500K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$1.7M
Ken Bone
Basketball (M) head coach
$809K
Paul Wulff
Football head coach
$476K
Bill Doba
Football head coach
$400K
June Daugherty
Basketball (W) head coach
$188K
Michael Breske
Football assistant coach
$186K
Eric Russell
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $1.3 million to 31 recipients
West Virginia
West Virginia
Big 12
4
1
$3.0M
3.0M
Bill Stewart: $1.7 million
Stewart was forced to resign before the 2011
season in the wake of a controversy with coach-in-waiting Dana
Holgorsen. Stewart went 28-12 with the Mountaineers.
$3.0M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$788K
Anthony Gibson
Football assistant coach
$321K
Vic Koenning
Football assistant coach
$283K
Joe Wickline
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: None
Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky
Other
1
1
$1.2M
1.2M
Mike Sanford: $1.2 million
Sanford was fired by WKU in 2018 after the
Hilltoppers went 3-9 in his second season on the job. Sanford went
9-16 at WKU.
$1.2M
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Western Michigan
Western Michigan
Other
2
0
$259K
259K
Tasha McDowell: $131K
McDowell was fired in 2012 with a year left on
her contract after an 8-22 campaign. The Broncos' women's hoops
program went 33-87 during her four-year tenure.
$128K
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$131K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$128K
Bill Cubit
Football head coach
Additional payments: None
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Big Ten
12
0
$1.1M
1.1M
Bobbie Kelsey: $300K
The Badgers were 47-100 during her five-year
tenure, including a 19-65 record in the Big Ten. Wisconsin never
finished higher than ninth in the league under Kelsey.
$442K
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$632K
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$282K
Lisa Stone
Basketball (W) head coach
$185K
Michael Markuson
Football assistant coach
$95.1K
Jeff Genyk
Football assistant coach
$95.1K
Bill Busch
Football assistant coach
$35.0K
Ben Strickland
Football assistant coach
$22.5K
Jeff Moore
Football strength coach
Additional payments: $59.5K to 5 recipients
Wyoming
Wyoming
Other
8
0
$1.7M
1.7M
Dave Christensen: $570K
From 2009 to 2013, Christensen coached the Cowboys
to a 27-35 record with two bowl appearances. He was fired with three
years left on his contract after a 5-7 season in 2013.
$710K
Total dead money payments for football
$955K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$517K
Heath Schroyer
Basketball (M) head coach
$220K
Allen Edwards
Basketball (M) head coach
$135K
Fred Langley
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$83.3K
Scott Duncan
Basketball (M) assistant coach
$57.4K
Robert Cole
Football assistant coach
$55K
Kenni Burns
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $27K to 1 recipient
Bowling Green
Bowling Green
Other
1
0
$431K
431K
Mike Jinks: $431K
Jinks had a 7-24 record from 2016 to 2018 as head
football coach of the Falcons. He was fired in 2018 after a 1-6
start to the season.
$431K
Total dead money payments for footall
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Georgia State
Georgia State
Other
1
0
$286K
286K
Trent Miles: $286K
Miles was fired in 2016 after nearly four
seasons coaching the Panthers. He led Georgia State to its first
bowl game in 2015 but left with a 9-38 record.
$286K
Total dead money payments for football
$0
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Houston
Houston
Other
13
1
$3.4M
3.4M
Major Applewhite: $1.7M
Applewhite was fired in 2018 after guiding the
Cougars to a 15-7 overall record and 0-3 in bowl games during his
two-plus seasons leading the football program.
$3.2M
Total dead money payments for football
$250K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$467K
Mark D'Onofrio
Football assistant coach
$452K
Tony Levine
Football head coach
$250K
James Dickey
Basketball (M) head coach
$147K
Travis Bush
Football assistant coach
$141K
Paul Williams
Football assistant coach
$93K
Michael Nesbitt
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: $141K to 6 recipients
San Jose State
San Jose State
Other
1
0
$130K
130K
Dave Wojcik: $130K
Wojcik resigned in July 2017 a few months after
the Spartans went 14-16 in his final season leading the basketball
program. San Jose State went 32-90 during his four-year tenure.
$0
Total dead money payments for football
$130K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Hawaii
Hawaii
Other
6
0
$1.2M
1.2M
Greg McMackin: $600K
McMackin's four-year tenure at Hawaii ended
in 2011. The Rainbow Warriors went 29-25 and reached two bowl
games under his direction.
$841K
Total dead money payments for football
$349K
Total dead money payments for men's
basketball
$0
Total dead money payments for women's
basketball
Other top dead money recipients
$200K
Bob Nash
Basketball (M) head coach
$200K
Norm Chow
Football head coach
$148K
Gib Arnold
Basketball (M) head coach
$36.4K
Aaron Price
Football assistant coach
$5.1K
Sean Duggan
Football assistant coach
Additional payments: None
Written and reported by Paula Lavigne and Mark Schlabach. Edited by David Duffey and Laura Purtell. Additional reporting by Kyle Bonagura and Maya Jones.
Produced by ESPN Creative Studio: Michelle Bashaw, Heather Donahue, Karen Frank, Jarret Gabel, Luke Knox and Jason Potterton.
Illustrations by Rafa Alvarez. Photos from AP Photo, Getty Images, USA TODAY Sports, US PRESSWIRE.
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